Like a Broken Record
by CyNfUl.thoughts.of.Edward
Summary: So, there's this dude, Wardo. And he's in love with his best friend, Jella. She doesn't know. Wardo's just this sweet, goofy, dorky guy trying not to get crushed. He has a band and he wears baseball caps, all the time. Always facing backwards. Girls always go after him but he only has eyes for one. "...it seems that the only girls I like are the ones i'm not allowed to have."


**A/n: Hey! Hope I haven't lost many of you. To the people that actually liked my nonbeta'd work, thank you. Thanks for ignoring the painful typos and ended up liking my stories. These two jumped into my head a week before Easter and now here they are. So I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I'm just a poor college student. I don't own anything. Stephenie Meyer owns all, everything. Got to meet Kristen and Robert…still bitter over this.**

**Like A Broken Record**

**EPOV**

**April 2012**

**Friday (shouldn't even be considered morning)morning**

"Hello?" I mumbled, leaning over to check the time on my alarm clock.

2:44 Am. I sighed another night she spent on the douche.

"What happened, Jella?"

"My heart hurts, Wardo." she sniffled softly. My blood boiled. She's crying. Again. Over whatever that douchebag said or did to her.

This is the last time she'll shed tears over his stupidity. I never should've let her have the opportunity to cry the first time. But I'll make him pay for bringing Jella to tears.

"What happened?" I strained out, trying to calm myself.

"Riley dropped me off an hour ago and I thought we were okay. Our date went okay. But I just got a text from him breaking up with me. He said he was too old for my high school shit and that this wasn't working for him anymore. He wasn't 'feeling it' anymore. He said we should see different people." She sniffed and let out a small shuddering breath.

"Motherfucker." I cursed, balling my fists.

Riley Biers was her stupid nineteen year old college boyfriend. Or should I say ex-boyfriend. He attended Kingsborough Community College. He stupidly only applied to two schools and they both rejected him. So there he was. He met Bella at a party my band played at and the rest was history.

They had the most idiotic relationship. They were on and off all the time. He only wanted to be with her when he wasn't at school. Fucking prick thought very highly of himself. And Bella let him reel her in every time. It was frustrating as fuck. Well, not this time.

"Fuck 'em, Jell. He doesn't fucking deserve you. You're golden, girl. You're too good for his bitchass. And he'll soon come to see that shit. He'll see that you won't be there for when he decides to finally grow the fuck up."

"No, Wardo! I think...I l-lo-"

"Don't say it, Jella. Unless you're absolutely sure. Don't just throw those words out. Mean them." I gritted my teeth. I wanted to shake some sense into her.

"Well, that's just it. _How_ do you know? Maybe I do and I just can't tell?"

"You're being stupid. No. When it's real, trust me, you'll know."

"Do you know what it feels like?" She questioned.

I sighed again. "Jell-"

"D'you think he does? Do you think he loves me?" Jella whimpered over the phone. I couldn't handle her crying voice. I couldn't handle her tears. It killed me.

"He'd be the world's biggest idiot not to. What's not to love? You're amazing, Jell." I didn't want to lie to her and give her false hope. Riley was a fucking dick and he didn't deserve her and she could do so much better. But I didn't want to hurt her. She was my best friend and it hurt me to see her hurting.

"Don't cry over him anymore, please. Please stop, Jella. It's not worth your tears."

She sighed contently. "You always know just what to say to get me out of my funk. _You're_ the one who's amazing. Any girl would be lucky to have you, Wardo-" but not the one I want.

"-and I'll let her know every day just how good she has it." I chuckled. "Oh, you will, will you?"

"Of course I will, Wardo. You need someone just as amazing as you are. You're _my _best friend after all. You deserve nothing but the best. You the fuckin' best. The best I ever had. The best I ever had." She sang to me causing a cackle to burst out.

"Quoting Drake to me at three in the morning. Whew, it must be late. You're getting stranger than usual." I teased, smiling at my ceiling. She giggled.

"Shut up, dick. I'm not strange. I'll let you get back to sleep. I'm sorry for waking you up with my bullshit. I know you must be getting tired of hearing me cry over this asshat." I turned over in my bed, brows furrowed as I held my phone tighter.

"Hey, never apologize for needing to talk. I'm always here for you, Jell. Always. No matter what time or day. I'm here for you." I told her seriously.

"I'm glad I have you, Wardo. I'll call you at ten. And then we can head out. I love you." My heart soared every time she uttered those words to me. "I know." I taunted and she huffed.

"Say it back, now."

"I love you too, Jella." I laughed, loving to tease her.

"Seriously, though. Thanks for listening to me all the time."

"Anytime, boo. Goodnight, Jella."

"Night, Wardo."

Sleep wasn't coming anytime soon as my mind raced and I reached into my bedside table and pulled out my songbook and got to writing.

_I'm right here, when ya gonna realize._

**Friday morning**

**Eh, probably around 10am**

"WARDO!" I shot out of bed, terrified. Wide awake and wide-eyed I looked around and saw Bella smiling serenely at me from my doorway. I huffed, grimaced and threw my covers over my head.

"I thought you were gonna call." my muffled voice called out from under my pillow. I felt the bed dip and then I felt her butt on my back.

"Yeah, I did say I was gonna call, didn't I? Then Mama Cullen called my mom and invited us over for breakfast and I volunteered to wake you up!" She started bouncing on my back. I groaned and cupped Woody.

"Cut it out or I'm gonna piss all over myself." She laughed and continued to bounce. I huffed in annoyance, but not really, and pushed myself up. She wobbled off and fell into the foot of the bed.

"Asshole!" She rolled off onto the carpet and clutched at her left boob.

"Well, you were hurting Captain Wood." I sniffed snootily and threw the covers off before marching towards my bathroom. "That's what you get." I pointed at her boob as my other hand was still cupped over Woody.

"Wait." She shot up off the floor and clutched at the end of my shirt. I looked down into her eyes and saw they were amused. Shit. This does not bode well.

"What?"

"You named your dick, Captain Wood?" A grin was slowly spreading across her pretty face. Oh no. I know that smile. It's her jackass smile. She's about to make fun of me.

"Yes. What of it, Swan!" I narrowed my eyes at her as she guffawed and laid her hand on my shoulder for support.

"Like Oliver Wood, Gryffindor Quidditch captain?" My face flushed. Well, she figured that out quickly enough.

"It had a nice ring to it! Shut up." I pushed her off and ran into the bathroom.

"I'll be calling you that from now on. I hope you know that."

I stuck my head out the door, smirking. Her smile faded.

"No, you won't. Or I'll tell everybody you used to refer to your vag as "the Golden _Snatch_" in your diary when we were fourteen." Her face instantly went red.

"How do you know that!" She banged on my door after I shut it in her face. I doubled-over laughing.

"I would sneak into your bedroom when you were sleeping and rig your bathroom with traps, remember?"

My favorite was a tie between when she walked into her bathroom at three in the morning and woke the entire house up when the cup of water fell on her and the time her older brother Jake was home from college, he helped me unscrew the toilet seat off her toilet and waited with me in the hallway, for her to take her middle of the night pee and collapsed in silent guffaws when we heard the tell-tale splash and her inevitable scream. She woke up the house that night too. Good times, good times. Everyone got a good laugh out of it...except Bella.

She started going to the bathroom before bed so no more pranks at three in the morning.

"Unfortunately, yes." She grumbled, straining to push open my door.

"Well, most of the time my pranks didn't take long to set up and I got bored a ton. So, I started snooping around and found your diary stashed in your bookshelf. You're such a heavy sleeper. Some of your entries had me in the corner of your room, dying with giggles.

"_Harry Potter caught her golden snatch! Gryffindor wins!...and so does Bella!" _I recited verbatim.

"Creative, weren't ya?" I gripped my stomach, laughing hurt.

"I'm going to hit you in the balls so hard Mike's gonna feel it." I heard her footsteps fade as she headed downstairs. I gulped. She hit really hard.

Ten minutes later I was sitting at the table next to Bella, freshly showered and fully dressed, poking her side with my index finger as she tried to eat her French toast.

Our moms and my aunt Carmen were on their second glass of mimosas. Our dads were talking about the Yankees. Poor Ali was across the table getting her ears talked off by the Seth and Sam, Bella's eight year old twin brothers. Because Ali was sixteen she didn't have a Swan sibling to be paired off with so she was usually stuck with the twins or tagged along with me, Bella and Jasper.

Bella's older sister Rose was telling my brother Garrett about the party he missed the weekend before. They both attended NYU. My eldest brother Mike was talking to our uncle Eleazar about possibly working at his bar. Jake was getting another helping of breakfast in the kitchen. He ate a lot. Charlie said he got that from his mother's side of the family.

Jake was actually Bella's half-brother and you could tell because his skin tone was a shade darker. They had the same eyes though and the same easy-going smile. Charlie had gotten his high school girlfriend knocked up and she wasn't ready for a kid so he stepped up and became Jake's sole provider until he met Renee in college. Jake was hers the moment she set eyes on him. They have a very close bond and he is truly a momma's boy.

"Remember that junk punch? Yeah, it's coming." Bella warned as she took a huge bite of her French toast. I retracted my finger so fast you'd think I was burned. I discreetly cupped my junk under the table but judging by Bella's smirk I could tell I wasn't very discreet about it.

Mike turned to us. "Speaking of junk punches, what's this I heard about you punching Edward's junk so hard that _I_ was gonna feel it, Bella? Why me? What did I do?!" Bella blushed lightly as everyone turned to look at her. These kind of moments happened all the time.

"You're guilty by association. You're his brother." She smiled at him. His jaw dropped and he pointed at Garrett whose eyes widened. "So is Garrett!"

We all looked at Garrett as he grimaced. Bella's eyes softened. "Yeah, but Garrett's so sweet, I could never junk punch him." Everyone laughed at Gare's relief and Mike's sputtering.

"Thanks, Bella." Gare said as he winked playful at her and grinned mischievously at Mike. Gare wasn't much of a talker. He was cocky and funny as hell when he did though. Unless he was with the girls._ He's so sweet and such a great listener._

He was their _Garebear._ He was always ribbed on by us because of it, but the dude was smart because he never got in trouble with the girls. All he had to do was get this slightly troubled look on his face and widen his blue eyes and they would defend the shit out of him.

"Mommy?" Sam frowned slightly as he said it. He thought he was too old to call Renee, mommy. But she wouldn't let them stop; she said they were growing up too fast. Seth didn't mind it.

Renee looked over and my mom and Carmen looked like they were going to die from how cute Sam was. They missed the 'mommy' thing. But my cousin Royce was nineteen so that wasn't happening for my aunt anytime soon. My mom neither.

"Yeah, Sammy?"

"What's a Junk-" Seth started and looked at Sam.

"-Punch?" the kitchen went dead silent as Renee glared at Bella who shrunk in her seat and mom glared at Mike who frowned down at his food.

"Isabella!"

"Michael!"

**Friday **

**3:13pm **

**Queens Center Mall**

"No way, Jella. That one is way too expensive." She rolled her eyes as she pulled it down from the rack and handed it to the cashier.

"Says the kid that got me the new iPad for Christmas." Well.

"That's different. That was a gift. I knew how much you wanted one." I protested as the cashier dude scanned it, checked it out and grinned approvingly at me.

"How is that different? This is also a gift and I know how much you want it." She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah bu-"

"Shut up, Edward. Here." She paid the cashier and grabbed the hat and placed it on my head and turned it so the snap was facing her. It was a white Chicago Blackhawks snapback.

I reached up and rubbed it with my hand before engulfing Jella in a tight hug. "Thanks Jell." I kissed her head and kept my arm around her neck as we left the shop.

"For last night. And for every other night before that. It's a thank you gift." She whispered into my sweater.

I tightened my grip on her. "You don't need to thank me for being there for you. I'll always be here for you, whether you thank me or not. But _thank you_ for the hat. It's awesome."

"Think of it as a good luck charm for your gig tonight."

"I think I might just take you up on that."

**Friday night **

**Like 11-ish**

**Ye Rustic Inn**

I grinned out at the crowd that cheered for me and my band as the last chord of Jasper's guitar rang out. I slid my arm from around his shoulders and pulled his ear as I walked towards the front of the stage. He stuck his tongue out at me.

I lifted my hat and wiped the sweat from my forehead with my Welcome to the Jungle pullover sleeve.

"We're the Marauders and we thank you for coming out tonight. Much love."

We had been performing at my uncle's bar every Friday night for the last six months but we had different crowds every time. We had few fans that kept coming back, most of them were girls. Jas called them our groupies. Most of these so-called "groupies" actually went to school with us and would come up to us in the halls and during lunch and wanted to sit and chill with us. I wasn't interested in spending time with any of them other than Bella, Jas and the band.

I adjusted my hat and smiled down at Bella who was cheering and clapping. She flashed me a thumbs up when I caught her eye. I slid my guitar off and handed it to Jasper who helped the guys pack up the equipment. I jumped off the stage, dodged a couple of girls and walked over to Bella.

"Well?" I asked and she reached up to touch my Blackhawks snapback. "It looks good with your sweater." I preened with her praise and she laughed smacking my chest.

"You guys did great! I'm so proud of you, Wardo! I thought your groupies were going to start ovulating during your second song." She looked over my shoulder and I turned to the side to see a group of girls that I remembered tried to sit with us last week, looking over at us.

"That's really gross." I scrunched up my nose and rested my forearms on her table, leaning in close.

"Oh my god. One of them is coming over. She's biting the bullet. That girl's got balls; she's going for what she wants. Nice." I widened my eyes.

"Save me." Bella laughed so hard she snorted. "Fine, come o-"

"Hey, uh, Bella? Can I talk to you for a minute?" I stiffened as soon as I heard his voice. Looking over the top of her head I saw Riley glaring at me, his hand on her shoulder. I glared right back and stepped between them.

"What do you want, Riley?" I growled, pushing him back. Bella grabbed my arm. "Don't, Edward."

"It's none of your concern, _Edward. _I'm here to speak to my girl." He snarled, pushing me. I stood my ground and glared down at him.

"Ex-girlfriend. You don't get to call her that. You're nothing. Don't forget whose bar you're in, Biers." I glanced behind him to where Jake, Mike, Garrett and Jas were standing by the bar, all watching him with menacing eyes.

"Hiding behind your big brothers, Edward. That's very brave of you." Riley taunted, waving t my brothers who flipped him off. Mike and Gare had to actually restrain Jake from pouncing.

"You're very stupid for a college kid. But then again, you couldn't even get into any of the universities you applied to, could you? I'm taller, I'm stronger and unlike your little snobby, bitchass I can fight. So, think again before coming at me like you are. I will fuck. you. up." I towered over him and shoved my finger into his chest for emphasis.

"You get me?" He continued giving me the stink eye but nodded and looked around me at Bella.

"Can I talk to you in private?" I felt Bella squeeze my arm before stepping around me.

"Yeah, Riley." I huffed in annoyance and shook her arm off before plopping down in her now vacant seat. "War-" she began. I cut my eyes to her, to pissed to care that I was openly glaring at her now.

"Don't, Isabella." Her eyes pleaded with me.

"Wardo, don't be mad. I'm just gonna hear him out. That's it." She tried to grab my clenched fists; I moved them off the table.

"Do what you want." I shrugged and walked past her towards the bar. Mike got me a soda from the fountain and Jake set it in front of me.

"Don't be mad at my sister, Eddie. She's just a teenage girl who doesn't know what she's feeling. She'll come around." He patted my back as I glared at my Dr. Pepper. "Thanks for defending her against that little prissy douche. Now, I'll be back. I'm going to make sure Preppy keeps his hands to himself and his tone pleasant with my sister, otherwise he'll be sleeping with the fishes tonight." He bumped my fist with his and walked out front to watch over Bella.

"Listen to Jake, Eddie. Bella just-"

"Can we not talk about this anymore? Thanks." My brothers zipped their lips.

"I'm going to go lock up. Great show tonight, little brother." Gare said and slugged my arm before heading to the office behind the bar. Jasper was messing with the jukebox.

"Play something already!" I called out and he flipped me off. He was a picky one.

I felt a hand touch my arm and I turned around to see a stereotypically pretty blonde girl. Boring.

"Hi, Ed." She said shyly. Aw, at least she wasn't mauling me.

"Hey...?" I waved my hand in the air.

"Oh, my name's Tanya. Hemmings? We have Global together?" I smiled and quirked my head to the side.

"Do you always speak in questions?" I teased and she stuttered out a nervous laugh.

"No, not usually. But I was so nervous to talk to you. I don't even think you recognize me." She fidgeted with her hands and I waved towards the open seat next to me.

"Sit, please. You're making me nervous with all your fidgeting. I remember you, Tanya. Chill. Breathe. We're both the same. Blood, guts, organs and all that. Except well you probably don't have a twig and berries. If you do, that's cool too." Her face went bright red.

"No, no! I don't. I-I don't have..._that_." She stammered, looking down. I placed my hand on her shoulder and shook it a little. "Chill, Tanya. Breathe." she nodded and took a deep breath.

"Thanks. So, what can I do for you?" I opened my can and took a long gulp. When I set it down and looked over at her I saw that she her eyes were half-lidded and they were staring at my mouth. I cleared my throat and she shook her head, smiling sheepishly at me.

"I was trying to work up the courage to come talk to you."

"Why?"

She gave me a look, like her reason was obvious.

"Because, Edward..." She trailed off as she looked behind me where Mike was wiping down the already wiped down counter and pretending not to listen. He looked up and sighed. "I'll just...go over there." he winked at me before strutting away.

"I like you and I wanted to see if you wanted to go out with me?" My eyes popped.

"Oh, uh. That's sweet of you. But.." I blew a gust of air. "I'm just not available right now. No, wait. I'm just not looking for a relationship? No, I'm just not...I'm sorry?" I grappled for the right words as I saw her visibly deflate.

"Yeah, I kinda knew you would say no. Are you gay or somethin'?"

I gasped out a laugh. "What?"

She shrugs. "It's okay if you are. I'm just asking 'cause you blow off like every girl that tries to talk to you or chill with you. Like no one is good enough to be around you other than Bella or Jasper. Is it him? Are you into Jasper? You guys are really touchy-feely with each other. That totally expl-" I cut her off.

"Whoa. No. Yeah, ah, no. Slow down there. I'm not gay. Jas is my best friend other than Bella. We've known each other since we were kids. We're not gay or lovers or dating. That's just how we are. I'm comfortable with myself and my sexuality to know that I can hug my friend or kiss his cheek if I wanted to and not have it affect either one of us. He's like another brother...Not gay."

"Oh. That's actually really refreshing to hear. And kinda cute. Not gay." We laughed and I could see her getting comfortable talking to me. Good. I took my hat off, ran my hand through my hair to fix it just to put the hat back on again.

"You have really nice hair." She commented looking at my hair that was sticking out from under my hat.

"Thanks? I don't brush it much?" She giggled and reached out to tug a strand of hair. I don't actually like people touching me whenever they please but I kept a smile plastered on my face because she was a nice girl.

"So then, what girls are you into? Who do you like? 'Cause there's no way you don't have your eye on someone the way you keep blowing everyone else off." She asked me as she stood from her stool. I saw her friends waving her to them, my uncle was closing the bar already.

I felt myself frown slightly as my brows furrowed. I pursed my lips and blew out a breath as I stared at a dew drop sliding down my soda can. "Yeah. You're right. I do have my eye on somebody. I guess I'm a masochist because it seems that the only girls I like..."I paused and smiled a bit as I wiped the dew drop off the can with my finger. "-the only girls I like are the one's I'm not allowed to have." I glanced up when I felt her grab my arm. She had a sympathetic smile on her face.

"Damn. That's sad, Ed. Seems like we're in the same boat here." I shrugged and placed my hand on hers. "Have hope. It is what it is. But hopefully, it'll all work out." I smiled and winked at her.

She grinned and suddenly I knew I recognized her face. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be related to Mr. Hemmings, would ya?" She scrunched her nose and wiggled her shoulders.

"Kinda?"

"How much is kind of?"

"Like, he's my dad?" I groaned out a laugh as I laid my face on the counter.

"Of course he is." She laughed and shook my shoulder.

I looked back up at her sheepishly.

"Tell him, Edward Cullen is really sorry about last week's prank. Emphasis on the really."

"Ooh, I don't know. He probably won't forgive easily. Mom made fun of him for a week. Every time he would walk into the same room as her she would started singing "Big booty bitches" She giggled as I guffawed.

"Will it help if I said it wasn't meant for him and that I'm still so sorry?" She chuckled and squeezed my shoulder. "Nope. Dad holds grudges."

"Can I ask who it was meant for? The people want to know."

"Ah, no. Little lady, I'm taking that to the grave." We giggled again.

"Wardo."

I looked behind me and saw Bella standing there; she was looking at Tanya's hand on my shoulder. "Hey, what's up?"

"Can we go now?" She asked, looking miserable.

"Where's Jake? Can't you catch a ride with him?" I asked, still kind of pissed off at her.

"Wardo." She whispered as her pretty brown eyes filled with tears. All my anger at her drained out as concern washed over me. I stood and grabbed her arms.

"Hey, what? What happened? What's wrong?" She tugged her arms free from my grasp and wrapped her arms around my middle, burying her head in my chest.

"Jella?" I whispered into her hair, using my hand to brush it back. My other rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Can we go? I'll tell you in the car. Not here."

I inhaled sharply and tensed. "Did he-"

"No, no. Jake was there. Plus he never would've. He's not abusive, Wardo. Just a bad boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" I asked hollowly.

"Ex, too." I sighed in relief. Though I hoped she didn't notice. Catching Tanya's eyes though, I know that she however, did. She smiled and shook her head at me, wagging her finger. I shrugged and threw her a soft smile.

"I'll see ya, Ed! I hope you get out of that boat soon." I gave her a thumbs up.

"You too, Tanya. Have a nice night."

"Bye, Bella. Have a good night." Bella scrubbed her face on my shirt before turning towards Tanya and waving.

"Thanks, Tanya. You too."

"Hey, Unc! We're heading out. Thanks for letting us play tonight." I called out, raising my hand out at my uncle standing behind the bar. He smiled and shook his rag at me.

"Anytime, Eduardo. Goodnight, kids." Uncle Eleazar was my mom's god brother. His parents were very close to my grandparents, but after a few years they had to move down to South America to help out their family. His parents wanted Eleazar to continue his education in America and my grandparents offered up their home. So for ten years they grew up together. El was thought of as my mom's brother. He was Mike's godfather. His Spanish came out of him a lot and over the years he tried to teach us kids Spanish. My mother could speak it fluently because of him and she wanted the same for us.

Bella actually started calling me Wardo when we were four because of the way Uncle El said my name and it stuck eversince. It was only a name she called me. And in return I called her Jella. This came from when we were around six and Jasper moved in across the street. Bella got jealous that I spent a couple days playing at his house than playing with her at hers. And a jealous Bella, was a scary Bella. Jealous Bella became Jella to me and everyone else started calling her Jella Bean. She hated it. She was an angry kid.

"Buenas noches, tio El." Bella called out as she hopped onto my back.

"Buenas noches, Bella!"

_**Saturday**_

_**7:24pm**_

_**Wardo's room**_

"I can't believe you waited 'til now to tell me." I griped at Bella. She huffed.

"Not my fault I fell asleep." She fell asleep on the car ride home. I found out the hard way when I realized that she was snoring and I was left talking to myself.

"I can't believe you made me carry you to your room." I didn't really mind.

"What did you want me to do? Levitate? I was _sleeping._" She argued.

"Honestly, Wardo. So inconsiderate." She scoffed.

"What happened then?"

"We talked. He wanted to get back with me. He even begged. Jake got a laugh out of that. He tried to get me to see his side of things. But I kept telling him no. Not this time. Not ever. _I'm _done with him now."

"For good?" I had to make sure.

"Yeah. For good."

"Good."

That night I cracked my songbook out and finished my song.

_'Cause I'm just a sucka for anythin that ya do._

_**Sunday**_

_**6:38pm**_

_**Walgreens on Broadway**_

"Welcome to Walgreens!" I nodded and shook the rain off myself and headed towards where I knew they kept the gallons of Arizona.

I grabbed four gallons of Arnold Palmer's Lite Half and Half. My mother had sent me on restock duty...in the pouring rain. She would sell her firstborn for a lifetime supply.

I walked to the cashier with my head down trying not to drop the gallons that were held between my elbows and my waist.

"Hey, Ed." The cashier said as I slipped my wallet out of my back pocket and looked up at her.

"Hey, Charlotte. I didn't know you worked at Walgreens." She nodded, smiling slightly at me as she rung up the gallons.

"I just started actually. Fan of Arnold?"

"I am but these are for my mother. She's not fond of sharing. She sent me on restock duty and being the good son that I am, I went without a complaint. And here I am.

She had pointed out the total. "She sounds amazing." She joked and I chuckled as I got the cash out and handed it to her.

"You actually have pictures in your wallet?" She reached out and stilled my hand, tilting her head to get a better look at them.

"Yeah." I said warily, trying to slide my hand away. She snatched my wallet and skimmed through my pictures.

"Char, come on. Give it. "I lunged for it and she backed up against the wall.

"Stay on your side of the counter, Eddo." She flipped through the pictures again.

"Interesting." She muttered. I rolled my eyes but on the inside I was panicking.

"And what's so interesting about my photos, Char?" I asked all nonchalant. I didn't want her to figure it out. It was bad enough that Tanya knew. I didn't want to ruin my surprise on Friday.

"What's interesting, Edward, is that Bella is in every single one of your wallet photos." I shrugged. But dammit, she figured it out. Am I that transparent?

Still, I tried to lead her away.

"She's my best friend."

"So's Jasper." She quickly countered, smiling mischievously at me.

"Your point?"

"Well, Edweirdo. If you're gonna use the 'she's my best friend' excuse then tell me where's Jasper's photo? Not to mention the way you're looking at her in a few of these." She scanned the pictures and described them to me from her point of view.

"You and Bella as babies, in the same crib. So cute and this one is innocent but you gotta wonder why you're carrying it around with you. Liam's my best friend and I certainly don't carry around his baby pictures."

"It's different."

"It's not."

"Yes! I'm in the same picture. I was the cutest baby. Look at that handsome mug."

"Oh, yeah. That drool is so charming." She pretended to fan herself with my pictures.

"What! There's no drool. You're lying."

"Moving on." She flipped to the next picture. Her eyes softened.

"How _cute_. Seriously though. Look at preteen Bella! Her hair was so much lighter then. You still had that same huge head of yours. Mhm, matching color shirts, drinking milkshakes and having a ball. And you, for some strange reason have your nose covered in your-what is that strawberry?- milkshake." She handed those two to me.

"You and Bella, looking all bummy and haggard and your arm is wrapped around her and she's tucked in close to you and you're smiling down at her not even looking at the camera. She looks content as fuck. And so do you." She flipped to the last one.

"You and Bella, again. This time sitting at your uncle's bar, sitting all close and cozy-like. Care to explain any of these?"

I reached over and snatched the remaining pictures out of her hand.

"We've been best friends since we were babies. Our families became close because Mike and Jake were best friends ever since kindergarten. Our families live right next door to each other and so it was natural for us to be together every minute. There will always be a Swan at our house or a Cullen at theirs." I tucked our baby picture back in its slot.

"I remember this one so clearly! It was the summer our families vacationed to Disneyland. I had just turned fourteen. Bella was still thirteen. The first day we were there our parents left us with Mike, Jake, Gare, and Rose in charge of Bella, me, and Ali. Five minutes after my parents left us to go lounge in the hotel, Jake and Mike ditched us. And Gare and Rose got us kicked off the Grizzly River Run ride because they made us cut the entire line, they didn't want to wait for two hours, and the pissed off line-waiters snitched on us as soon as it was our turn. Rose and Garrett started cursing and yelling at the lady behind us and Ali started crying because she's always been a little sensitive. Anyway, to make it up to us, because we were some pretty upset preteens; they took us to this little food shop and bought us milkshakes. It was so hot that day and I tried to take a big gulp of my strawberry shake only to have Bella smash my face into it. Alice took that picture. Man, that was a fun week."

"My hair is all kinds of buzzed here. Before this, I don't know if you remember but I went through this phase where I grew my hair out past my ears and I refused to have it cut and I didn't wash it much. My mom wanted to strangle me. Instead, she got Bella to shave my head while I slept. The asshole slipped Nyquil in my coke. I woke up itchy, with short hair and disoriented and Bella was sitting on my beanbag watching a movie and eating my secret snack stash with a wicked smile on her face. She didn't even feel bad. Said she was tired of staring at my rat's nest." I laughed, remembering that we passed out on the floor, wrapped around each other that night.

"This one is probably my favorite. It was a belated birthday present to us from our older siblings. Last year, Mike and Jake saved up to buy their own tickets and ours too. They drove down from their apartment last April and found Bella and me lying on my floor. We were just a week away from the festival and we didn't have tickets. It was a depressing time. Our favorite bands were gonna be performing in week1. Jake and Mike took one look at us and suggested a trip to California for that week and we agreed. We packed up and we all flew out to Jake's old college buddy Jared's apartment in Vegas. Rose and Garrett were already there. A couple days later it was the day before Coachella was due to start.

Bella and me were so sad as we climbed into Jared's suburban with everyone. We were supposed to be road tripping down to San Diego for some surfing. Bella and me fell asleep in the backseat and when we woke up we were in a packed parking lot. Jake, Jared, Mike, Garrett, Rose and Jared's girlfriend were singing so fucking loud and laughing, we were not amused. That is until Jake and Mike shoved two tickets towards us. Two General Admission tickets to Coachella week1. Yeah, we cried a little. As soon as we climbed out the car Bella threw herself on Jake and Mike and hugged the shit out of them."

"The Shins, Bon Iver, Radiohead! All in one weekend. It was amazing. Best time of our lives. We road tripped back to Jared's dirty, hungry, smelly, sweaty and hoarse from singing so much. This picture was taken at four in the morning when we stopped at a gas station in Barstow to stretch and fill the tank. Rose came over with a camera, made us smile for the camera and said "Happy belated present."

"And this picture was taken like six months ago after our first show. Bella was the loudest one in the bar that night. She was cheering so hard. She was so proud of me and she bought me a soda and an ice cream. She blew Riley off that night to spend it with me. He hated me even more after that. He didn't-doesn't get our friendship. My aunt took that picture of us; she has it framed on the wall behind the bar. She said that it's for when I get famous and she can say "before he was rich and famous, he was a goofy, bummy-looking kid who played here every Friday night and ate ice cream with his best friend afterwards." I smiled at Charlotte.

"I guess, she's just always been there. She's in every single one of my favorite memories."

"I can see that." She sighed dramatically.

"All the good ones, man..."

I snorted. "Right."

"She's so blind. What an idiot. She'll see it soon though. You don't hide it very well." She reached out and ruffled my hair and laughed at my glare.

"She'll come around, just wait."

"For her? Always."

_**Monday 4:20pm**_

_**Wardo's room, again**_

"No, no." I murmured as crossed out the chord transition I just wrote. The song was almost done. I just needed to finish writing the music.

Usually our songs were a group's effort. We all had a hand in writing our songs but this one was special to me, and I hoped the guys understood that. I wanted it to sound like I heard it in my head. It was different from all of our other songs. It sounded a bit All Time Low-ish. I liked them well enough but I didn't want to make their kind of music. I liked our sound.

I started humming out the lyrics along with the new melody and it sounded good. Then, it clicked and I was able to finally write down the bridge. "Yes, fucking yes!" I sat down and picked up my guitar, head down and nodding, strumming the pre-chorus twice.

"_I dedicate this song to you_

_The one who never-" _I mumbled under my breath.

"Nice, Ed." I whipped around and saw Jas and Ali standing in my doorway.

"Sounds smooth. Bella know this one by heart yet?" Jas joked as he sat on my bed.

"Thanks. And no. She doesn't know I wrote this one yet." I muttered looking at the floor.

"But she always knows first! I'm surprised she isn't in here listening and giving you feedback." Ali screeched.

"Not this time. I want to surprise her." Jas dug out my other bass and tapped the beat with his foot; I tossed him my notebook so he could follow along.

"Dude, this is probably gonna be my favorite."

"Call up the boys, tell them to meet in twenty. We're having a jam session."

_**Still Monday**_

_**5:39pm**_

_**Jam session in Wardo's basement**_

"Yeah, Alec. It's tss, tss, tss, tss, Bum!" I sounded out as I showed Alec the beat on second verse. He nodded and I stood handing him his drumsticks. Sliding my guitar back to my front I gave Ali a thumbs up and she pressed record. She recorded our jam sessions so we could watch them and pick out where we needed to improve.

"Let's go through it again." I said and counted off and listened to Liam start us off.

_"You call me up_

_Like a broken record..."_

_**Friday **_

_**9:15pm**_

_**Ye Rustic Inn**_

"You'll be fine. We sound good, Eddo." Jas said as he squeezed my shoulders and forced me to look at him.

"No, she won't like it, Jas. It's gonna ruin everything. She still likes that preppy prick." I pulled my hat off and scrubbed my hand roughly through my sweaty hair.

"Cut it out. Bella's a sweet girl. Not a cold-hearted bitch. Even if, and that's a big IF, she doesn't feel the same way she's not gonna stomp on your heart and unfriend you on Facebook. You know this. You guys are stuck with each other forever." he snatched my hat from my hand, dusted it off and placed it neatly back on my head. I rolled my eyes and turned it so it faced backwards. Much better.

"Now chill out, dude. Let me buy you a drink." He wrapped his lanky arm around my neck and patted my chest. I laughed, as he led the way.

"Eddie!" I looked towards the bar door and saw my cousin Royce walking in.

"Hey, man! What're you doing here?" I asked as he bear hugged me. The kid was nineteen and built like a linebacker. Because he was. For the New York Giants.

"I was able to get this week off and decided to come chill down here with everyone. I miss this place."

"Hey, Roy. Let me get two cokes on the rocks. Put it on my tab, thanks man." Jas said as he slapped Roy on the back. "Hey, Jas. Taking care of my little cousin? And Bells?" Roy grinned as he went behind the bar and got us our sodas. I tuned them out as my eyes found Bella, down the bar eating a burger and laughing with Ali.

_Ugh, I hope she doesn't hate me after this._

_**Still Friday night**_

_**10:32pm**_

_**On stage**_

I wiped the sweat from my face with my forearm and took a gulp of my water. I nodded at Jas and he told Alec and Liam the last song of the night.

I walked over to the mike again.

"Hey guys. Um, before we get to our last song for tonight. I just want to thank you all for coming out tonight. And I hope you enjoyed the show-" That earned me applause and cheers, I grinned down at them. I threw Ali a thumbs up when I saw she was recording already. I scanned the bar quickly and found that everyone was here. Jake, Rose, Mike and Garrett were sitting near the front with my parents and Bella's parents. My aunt and uncle were standing near the bar while Royce was manning it. But since everyone was watching us, he wasn't getting much business at the moment, so he was watching too.

I looked towards Ali again and saw that she was sitting next to where Alice was standing and on Bella's other side was her friend Angela. Bella grinned and whooped at me.

"Wardo!" I flashed her a smile and flushed when other girls began catcalling at me.

I spotted Tanya and Charlotte and Lauren as a few of the girls who were whistling at me. I nodded in their direction when they gave me thumbs up.

I cleared my throat. "So, um I really hope you enjoy this next song. Because it's new. I just started writing it last week and finished it on Sunday. We've been practicing and working hard on it, trying to get it to sound as good as it can." I quickly glanced at Bella and saw that she had a confused look on her face.

"I can feel my best friend glaring holes into my head because she had no idea that I was even writing a new song. She has a right to be upset. Usually she's my first audience she gives me feedback. But this time I didn't tell her. I didn't tell her because I wanted it to be a surprise. So, Bella. Don't hate me. And I really hope you like it." I nodded at Liam and he started us off.

"We're the Marauders and this is Heartbreak Girl."

_"You call me up,  
It's like a broken record  
Saying that your heart hurts  
Thought you'd never get over him getting over you,"  
_

I stepped closer to the edge of the stage and locked eyes with Bella.

_"And you end up crying  
and I end up lying,  
'Cause I'm just a sucker for anything that you do,"_

Her eyes wide as I shook my head with a slight smile.__

"And when the phone call finally ends,  
you say, "Thanks for being a friend,"  
And we're going in circles again and again"  


I patted my chest where my heart rests as I continued to sing to her.

_"I dedicate this song to you  
The one who never sees the truth  
That I can take away your hurt, Heartbreak girl  
Hold you tight straight through the day light,  
I'm right here, when you gonna realize that I'm your cure, heartbreak girl."_

Jasper walked over and sang the chorus with me, smiling the entire time, as the boys chimed in.__

"I bite my tongue, but I wanna scream out  
You can be with me now  
But I end up telling you what you wanna hear,  
But you're not ready and it's so frustrating  
He treats you so bad and I'm so good to you it's not fair."  


I shrugged and pointed at the crowd.

_"And when the phone call finally ends  
you say, "I'll call you tomorrow at 10,"  
And I'm stuck in the friend zone again and again,"_

I pulled at my sweater and looked in Bella's direction again. Her eyes were full of tears. I frowned.__

"I dedicate this song to you  
The one who never sees the truth  
That I can take away your hurt, Heartbreak girl  
Hold you tight straight through the day light,  
I'm right here, when you gonna realize, that I'm your cure. Heartbreak girl,"  


The boys chimed in with the chorus again.

_"I know someday it's gonna happen  
And you'll finally forget the day you met him  
Sometimes you're so close to preventing,  
I gotta get it through your head that you belong with me instead,"  
_

I tapped my temple and smiled down at Bella. She smiled back, biting her lip._  
_

_"I dedicate this song to you  
The one who never sees the truth  
That I can take away your hurt, Heartbreak girl  
Hold you tight straight through the day light,  
I'm right here, when you gonna realize, that I'm your cure, Heartbreak girl,"_

_"I dedicate this song to you  
The one who never sees the truth  
That I can take away your hurt, Heartbreak girl  
Hold you tight straight through the day light,  
I'm right here, when you gonna realize, that I'm your cure, Heartbreak girl."_

Liam played the pre-chorus again, I tossed my mike at Jas and hopped off the stage and stalked towards Bella as the song came to a close.

"Did you like it, Jella?" I asked anxiously and blocked out the bar that broke out into loud cheers and whistles.

She fisted her hands in my hoodie and tugged me down to her level.

"I loved it, Wardo." and she yanked me to her lips and kissed me in front of the entire bar.

_Fuck yeah._

_**The end**_

**Cyn's kitchen table. 11:06pm**

**My butt is numb.**

**A/n: The song I used is called "Heartbreak Girl" by: 5 Seconds of Summer. An Australian pop-punk band that my sister showed me. They are currently touring with One Direction. Her current obsession. I dig the song. It inspired this plot.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it. I really did. Let me know if you'd like for me to expand it? No promises, 'cause my attention span isn't that great when it comes to writing stories. But I love these two. I actually have a future-take already written and will be posted. So, thanks for reading and maybe I'll see you soon? Thanks for reading!**


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